William F. Vassar, professor of military science from 1963-1966, died on April 8, 2017, in Cromwell, Connecticut.

(The following was published in  The Hartford Courant, April 23, 2017:)

William F. (Bill) Vassar, age 98 of Cromwell, CT, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 8, 2017. Bill served in the South Pacific for 19 months during WWII seeing combat on Guam, Leyte and Okinawa and was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service in the Leyte Campaign. Leaving active duty in 1945, he taught school in Vermont while obtaining a Master’s degree in Political Science from UVM. He returned to active duty in 1951 and served 11 months in combat in Korea. Following Korea he served in various duty stations throughout the United States and in Germany with his final assignment as Professor of Military Science at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. Bill retired from the Army in 1966 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following his retirement from the Army, Bill worked for the State of Maine, Department of Human Services for 14 years most of that time as an Administrative Hearing Officer. In 2001 Bill and Dorothy moved to Covenant Village in Cromwell, CT where they were members of the Bible Baptist Church of Cromwell. Bill is predeceased by Dorothy, his loving wife of 76 years. He is survived by two daughters, Carol Pouch of Vero Beach, FL, and Lynne Roe of New Britain, CT, a son David Vassar of New Hope, PA as well as six granddaughters and their families.